


Another Time

by thewildtype



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, F/F, Prompt Fill, Soulmates, True Love, Tumblr Prompt, Yes there are still ghosts but they are not the focus of this story, damie centric cannon with some divergence into moments not shown in the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:28:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27903703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewildtype/pseuds/thewildtype
Summary: After all these years, Jamie still had every intention of keeping her promise to Dani. She swore to herself that, one day, when the time was right, she would tell Dani’s story. One of love and sacrifice, to the very people she made the ultimate sacrifice for.ORThe one where Jamie recalls her life with Dani from beginning to end in vivid detail.
Relationships: Dani Clayton & Jamie, Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. Tethered

Jamie could feel Dani’s gaze boring into her as she divulged her sordid past, revisiting memories long buried.

All the family members she was bound by blood to love. She gave it her all loving them the best she could, but she was just a kid then. She didn’t know how to keep them tethered. Now they were gone. Unraveled. Broken.

The family she was once a part of was nothing more than a collection of bad memories.

A bad story.

A story she had never told anyone before Dani. Because Dani wasn’t anyone, at least not to her.

The truth poured from her mouth like an unobstructed waterfall. The words following a familiar pattern. Their natural course from her mouth to Dani’s ears. She couldn’t stop it even if she tried.

She hoped this wasn’t all too much, that she wasn’t too much. But it was now or never. She had to lay it all bare and show Dani who she really is. She needed to know if Dani wanted her, all of her the way she wanted Dani. As terrifying as that was to admit. She wanted another person so badly she was willing to trudge up the past. Admit her youthful negligence that tore her family apart, foster care mishaps, and time served behind bars. The silver lining in the sad story was discovering her love of gardening.

_“Ideal work for ideal hands but I fuckin’ love it.”_

Jamie braced herself for the worst before daring to meet Dani’s eye-line. What she wasn’t expecting was the look of pure adoration and understanding plastered all over Dani’s beautiful face. She breathed a small sigh of relief. Confirmation that Dani was truly listening and taking in her words was the exact encouragement she needed. On she went with her admissions. Jamie confessed she consciously created barriers to prevent herself from forming relationships with people. The fortress she built protected her well from heartache, abandonment, and disappointment over the years. Despite this, she still had all this love pent up inside of her with nowhere to go. Gardening changed that. Her plants became her outlet.

_“You poor your love and your nourishment into them and you see where it goes.”_

Jamie rubs her hands on her knees shaking off some of her buzzing nerves. She stands from the log approaching the moonflower. Taking just a brief moment to admire the fruits of her labor. Something she found so rewarding in and of itself. She didn’t dare glance back at Dani, but she could feel the blonde watching her every movement.

_“Everyone is exhaustive. Even the best ones.”_

Her long held mantra. People, no matter how well intentioned, were nothing but trouble. They were exhausting, tiresome, and ultimately disappointing. Every single relationship came with an expiration date, in one form or another. Loss was inevitable. Jamie survived this long safe within the confines of her emotional walls sealing herself off from forming a tangible tether to another person. No emotional bonds meant having no one to lose. This strategy kept her intact. Solitude kept her safe.

Until Dani Clayton came waltzing into her life.

_“But sometimes, once in a blue goddamn moon I guess, someone, like this moonflower, just might be worth the effort.”_

She longed for Dani knowing full well that collateral damage was inescapable. She couldn’t help it. From the moment she laid eyes on her, she felt a connection. She was drawn to her like a moth to an incandescent light.

Jamie summoned the courage to turn around and confront the blue eyes staring intensely at her.

_“Humans are organic. It’s a fact. We are meant to die. It’s natural. Beautiful.”_

Dani understood. She also experienced the first-hand torment that came along with losing someone close. It pained Jamie to watch Dani buckle little by little under the crushing weight of the past. She wanted nothing more to lift that burden allowing Dani some peace to just be. Not to suffocate under the weight of a life lost.

Jamie turned her attention back to the moonflower, a physical manifestation of what her caring efforts could produce. It was a challenge she willingly took on. One she conquered over time. Each day she devoted her energy tending to its needs. She put in the effort for it to thrive in the frigid and seemingly inhospitable English climate. She persisted against the odds, and now the flowers are in full bloom under the lunar glow. It was a glorious moment, but fleeting. By morning the hearty blossoms would shrivel and die.

_“That life refreshes and recycles and on and on it goes. And that is so much better than that life getting crushed deep down in the dirt.”_

But Jamie wouldn’t let that life go to waste. She would honor it by planting a new moonflower in its place. Keep the cycle going, to remember and never forget the single marvelous blossoms of the past.

She heard Dani moving towards her. The fallen debris crunching under her steps.

“ _Like this moonflower.”_

She briefly locked eyes with Dani before turning back to the moonflower. Dani was much closer now, only a few quick steps away. Jamie yearned to close the distance to reach out and touch her, to _feel_ her again, and to lose herself in those soft lips. But she didn’t. She knew she shouldn’t. This situation was delicate for the both of them. She was never quite sure if Dani was firmly there or one second away from disappearing.

_“That’s where all the beauty lies you know, in the mortality of the thing.”_

This was her chance to know for sure and escape the limbo of uncertainty. Jamie turned her full attention to Dani. She looked deeply into her eyes searching desperately for her answer. Dani grabbed her firmly by the shoulders sending a jolt of electricity through her body rousing something dormant deep within. They exchanged a heated glance. The air between them charged with life. Dani’s face was full of emotions Jamie couldn’t quite place. A blend of determination, excitement, and trepidation. She gingerly cupped Dani’s elbows in response waiting for her to decide their fate.

Dani pulled her in for a kiss. Her hungry lips answering all of Jamie’s unspoken questions. Jamie poured every ounce of her feelings into this kiss sealing a promise to give her all to this brazen, beautiful woman for as long as she could.

The kiss was powerful but too brief. Dani pulled back leaving Jamie in a daze already missing her touch.

Her body was humming and head foggy, all consumed by Dani’s presence. Her lips tugged involuntarily into a goofy grin. Dani was here, with her. Dani just kissed her, and she was smiling her beautiful smile. She seemed relieved. Jamie’s heart swelled. It was the reassurance that Jamie craved. The knowledge that Dani was fully in this moment too made her feel ten times lighter. A blossoming warmth radiated from her chest spreading outward through every fiber of her being.

Dani kept them tethered. Not once breaking their connection. She must have also felt the pull. The desperate need to never let go. Dani’s hands were anchored behind her neck. She moved back into Jamie’s space pausing to brush their noses together sweetly before reattaching their mouths.

It was messy at first with roaming tongues and clashing teeth but soon they fell into a pattern. Moving against each other along with the ebb and flow of the kiss. Jamie grabbed her waist, pulling Dani in closer trying to be as close as possible to her. But it wasn’t close enough. She backed Dani up step by careful step through the moonlit garden. She knew these grounds like the back of her hand allowing her to maneuver expertly without breaking the kiss. Carefully, she backed Dani up against a nearby tree effectively pinning her against the sturdy bark pressing their bodies flush together.

Dani’s hands threaded through her hair, pulling at the roots and scraping her scalp. Jamie tilted her head in response deepening the kiss. When Dani sighs into it, Jamie can’t help the hitch of breath caught in the back of her throat. The sound was melodic. Addictive. It stirred something primal within. Dani’s sweet gasping sounds were further confirmation that they were here. They were doing this.

Jamie acts on instinct. Her hands ran up along Dani’s thighs pausing to squeeze her hips before continuing their ascent. Dani’s body melted into to each and every touch. Encouraged, Jamie settled her hands below the underwire of Dani’s bra. She moved her thumbs slowly and deliberately beneath the metal line taking pleasure at Dani’s involuntary shaky sigh and the subtle tremble of her body beneath the pads of her fingers. Dani clings on harder like a lifeline.

They have to break apart to breathe. Their hot breathes mingling in the short space between them as they panted, reintroducing oxygen into their lungs. They rested their foreheads together. Their skin sticking ever so slightly from the light sheen of sweat upon their brows.

Dani is the first to speak.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”

Jamie couldn’t ignore the gravity of her tone. The longing in her voice tugs at her heart strings. She feels it too, deep within her chest. She wants nothing more than to take on the weight of Dani’s words. To bear all the burden of what she is feeling.

“We’re here now. That’s all that matters.” Jamie coos. She peppers kisses along Dani’s neck. Sucking on her pulse point trying to derail her negative thoughts and keep her focused on the present moment. It does the trick. Soon Dani is writhing against her.

“Jamie…” The breathless moan of her name only spurs Jamie on more. Everything except Dani fades away from her consciousness.

“Take me back.” Dani pleads. The urgency in her voice breaks through the fog in Jamie’s mind.

She knew where this was headed. 

What came next was inevitable.

The next thing she knew Jamie had her back pressed against the door and a warm body against her front. The wet heat of Dani’s tongue pokes her bottom lip. Jamie meets the touch, parting her mouth allowing Dani to explore pulling her in deeper. Dani’s hands roam her body fervently, digging through the fabric of her clothes. Desperate in their movements and staying nowhere for more than a second. They’re on her arms, her lower back, her hips, before they settle on her shoulders. Even though there were many layers of fabric between them, Jamie skin tingled as if Dani’s nimble fingers were exploring her bare skin. Jamie released a strangled moan as a strategically placed thigh pressed into her center.

“My favorite sound.” Dani purred along the shell of her ear sending a pleasant shiver along her spine.

Dani took control further fueling Jamie’s building arousal. Hungry lips and teeth attack the length of her neck leaving a trail of stinging flesh and newly forming bruises in their wake. Confident fingers unbuttoned her jeans in a single swift motion. A steady hand makes its way beneath the denim and cotton barriers providing much needed relief causing Jamie to moan once again. Dani’s assertive movements eliciting each passionate sigh like a violinist plucking strings in a rhythmic harmony. Each deliberate flick of her fingers, up and down, in and out, working towards the quickly building crescendo. Dani struck the final note. Waves of pleasure reverberated throughout Jamie’s body. She rested against the wooden door as the aftershocks wore off.

She lowered her eyes meeting Dani’s gaze. It was impossible to tell if the carnal hunger swimming in those darkened pupils belonged to Dani alone or was a mixture of her own craving reflected in those blue irises. Jamie craned her neck initiated a long and languished kiss.

Dani’s reactions to being held, touched, and cared for was intoxicating. It seemed as if all of her burdens were lifting with each kiss and every graze. Her arms were firmly wrapped around Jamie’s neck as if she wanted nothing more than to be fully tethered in this moment. Fully tethered to her. Jamie couldn’t tear herself from Dani even if she tried. She honestly didn’t want to.

She wanted to live in this present moment just as much as Dani did.

It was perfect. Almost too good to be true.

Jamie registered the subtle cool air against her arms as Dani removed her jacket. She took this as her cue to slide off Dani’s purple coat. Layer after layer shed as they silently tangoed towards the interior to the room. They were skin to skin when the bed thudding against the back of Dani’s knees halted their movement. Jamie wrapped her arms around Dani’s thighs lifting her onto the bed, settling on top.

She paused, basking in this rare moment of uninterrupted intimacy allowing herself to indulge in admiring the bare beauty below. Dani’s golden locks splayed across the pillow like a hallow giving her an ethereal quality. A few rogue strands cascaded along her face, the curled tips settling on her shoulders. The smattering of freckles along her neck and shoulders, like constellations mapped across pale skin, beckoning to be traced by gentle kisses. The pads of her fingers itched to caress ever last curve, the thought alone fueling a fire within. The embers of which echoed in Dani’s smoldering cerulean eyes.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for Jamie to give in. She thoroughly and systematically tended to Dani’s every desire. Tracing ever centimeter of warm, silky skin with her hands and mouth lower and lower until she arrived where Dani needed her most. She listened attentively to every movement. Matching her writhing with a flick of her tongue and her moaning with quickening thrusts. Over and over, until Dani achieved her full release. Even then, Jamie tended to her as best she could so her moonflower could extract ever last morsel of euphoria.

Afterwards, Jamie shimmied up Dani’s body. She lay on her side resting an arm along Dani’s abdomen, her hand settling between the valley of her breasts. The feeling of Dani’s rapid heartbeats makes her own heart swell. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest calm the swarming butterflies in her belly.

Dani seemed peaceful and content. She interlaced their fingers before shifting onto her side and nestling closer.

Jamie’s body began to feel heavy as if she were on the cusp of drifting off. She forced her eyes to focus on Dani, her beautiful Dani, staring back with blissful affection. She held on as long as she could, but soon her heavy eyelids distorted her vision until everything slowly faded to black. In the twilight, Jamie could feel gentle kisses peppered along her jawline and roaming hands in her hair, running along her neck, eventually settling on her shoulder. The faint smell of lilac, Dani’s smell, invading her senses.

“Can’t get enough?” Jamie says in jest.

“It’s never enough.” Dani whispers, her cool breathe ghosting Jamie’s lips.

Jamie wakes up fully rested with happiness nestled within her chest, the faint scent of lilac in her nostrils, and residual warmth lingering on her shoulder. She sits up working out the kink in her neck from her odd sleeping position. Her eyes blink a few times, adjusting to the soft morning light streaming in through the blinds. She takes in the unfamiliar surroundings. There was no sign of Dani, the woman who claimed her heart only moments ago. Her heart quicken its pace as she recalled the vivid details of their time together.

Dani’s side of the bed was cold.

Untouched.

In fact, now that her brain was rebooting, she realized it had been for quite some time.

She went on with her day taking a shower, freshening herself up, and mentally preparing herself for the long days ahead. She stares at her reflection for a while longer than she normally would before concluding her morning routine. She collected a well-used black notebook from the nightstand along with her ring. She fiddled with the golden metal on her left hand after putting it on. The symbol of her unbreakable tether to Dani. She smiled to herself as she remembered yet another moment with her wife burned into her memory.

She took a deep breath bracing herself against the oncoming wave of sorrow. When she was sure no more tears would fall, she left her room making her way to the dining hall. She grabbed a plate of food and a cup of tea before making her way out onto the patio. There was a quaint garden with a few private tables for guest to take their meals. Jamie settled into the unoccupied table in the back, taking solace in the tranquil greenery surrounding her.

The manor was stunning. But then again, Flora always had an air for elegance even as a child. It was no surprise her wedding venue was anything other than spectacular. Jamie planned to arrive the day before the wedding, just to ensure everything went according to plan.

After all these years, Jamie still had every intention of keeping her promise to Dani. She swore to herself that, one day, when the time was right, she would tell Dani’s story. One of love and sacrifice, to the very people she made the ultimate sacrifice for. People who had no recollection of her beloved. This truth was a painful burden Jamie carried throughout the years, and it was one that ate away at Dani during her final days. Jamie hoped that telling her story would somehow bring Dani peace.

The moment she received the save the date card, she knew the opportunity arrived.

Dani’s past was the easiest to recall. Jamie could remember every detail of her beloved’s life before moving to England with perfect clarity. The memories of what happened after they met were the ones causing trouble. Somehow, they became fuzzy as time passed on. The big moments stuck with her, seared into her mind, but the finer details blurred along the edges framing the monumental moments at the center.

Jamie sometimes relived them in her dreams, but each and every time, the events would change. Become twisted and distorted. The dreams felt different. They had an organic quality like they were moldable to her and Dani’s will. In those moments, she was with Dani, her Dani, reliving their memories together. The nighttime rendezvous kept them tethered over the years.

She fiddles absentmindedly with her wedding ring.

Jamie knows if she is going to do well by Dani, then she needs to get it all just right. She needs to tell it all as it was. No detail left frayed.

She even went as far as journaling everything over the years. She pulled out the notebook opening to the very first page.

Today was her final run through. One last rehearsal before the big day.

Jamie took a few deep breaths before starting from the very beginning.


	2. Icarus Meets the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a day that seemed like any other, until Jamie meets the new au pair for the very first time and her life is changed forever.

As far as regular workday routines went, Jamie was deeply fond of hers.

Her morning commute to Bly Manor along the scenic road was her absolute favorite part of the day. Every morning she sat in her reliable clunker of a vehicle driving from the small town she lived in out into the countryside, arriving on the long road just as the sun began to rise. The soft golden rays of light filtered through the leaves of the sentient oaks lining the roadway giving the sprawling scenery a mystical glow. For as long as she lived, Jamie would never fully get over just how beautiful these lands were. She was beyond thankful it was her job as the groundskeeper to spend her days in the thick of the forests and fields.

The rumble of the truck chugging along the country road and the chirping morning jays swooping about from branch to branch composed the pleasant soundtrack for her journey. She cracked the driver’s side window before lighting up her morning cigarette as the loaming mansion came into view. By the time she finished smoking, at 5:55 am on the dot, Jamie turned off the main road onto the expansive driveway leading up to the main house. She veered off to the right of the manor pulling into her usual spot, shifting gear into park, and turning off the engine.

Jamie exited the vehicle, moving towards the flat bed of the truck. She hopped in, grabbing her gardening gloves and shoving them into the front pocket of her overalls, and slipped off her faded converse high tops exchanging them for a pair of sturdy and scuffed leather boots. The treads of which were caked with residual mud from the previous day’s work. Fortunately for her clothing, today was bound to be more sunny and less muddy judging by the absences of clouds in the sky.

After collecting the rest of her essential gear from the truck, Jamie marched around back heading for the rear kitchen door to grab a cup of tea before starting her duties. Inside she spotted Hannah sitting at the kitchen table with a kettle of freshly brewed tea.

“Oh, good morning Jamie.” The older woman said while stifling a yawn with the back of her hand.

“Mornin’.” Jamie greeted. She grabbed an extra cup from the cupboard before taking a seat at the table next to the sleepy housekeeper.

“Hope you don’t mind.” Hannah began as she poured Jamie a cup of piping hot early grey. “I made the tea stronger than usual this morning. Woke up feeling ragged and today is not the day to be nodding off. Not with the new au pair to orient.” After filling Jamie’s cup, Hannah placed the kettle down on the trinket and wrapped both hands around her mug.

“About time Lord Wingrave hired someone suitable to look after the wee ones. Finally take them off your hands.” Jamie blew on tea allowing the excess steam to escape.

“Don’t be fresh. Those kids have been through enough.” Hannah scolded before taking a healthy gulp of her tea.

“Haven’t we all.” Jamie grumbled before taking a sip. She closed her eyes savoring the taste and the pleasant warmth radiating throughout her insides.

“Look on the bright side, it will be nice to have another adult around the house. She seems like a kind soul and the children have taken to her in less than a day.”

“As long as we can avoid a new Peter Quint sniffing around after the latest Marry Poppins, I think we’ll all be just grand.”

Hannah nodded in agreement. The two finished their morning tea together. Afterwards, Hannah went about her housekeeping duties while Jamie set out for the shed to collect her gardening tools. From there, she trekked over to the rose gardens where she spent the morning pruning and trimming. She managed to tame half of the roses bushes before it became too unbearably hot to remain in direct sunlight. She opted to finish the remaining half the following morning when the weather was cooler. Jamie left the maze of rose bushes, making a pit stop in the kitchen for a refreshment before heading over to tend to the plants in the partially shaded greenhouse.

“You’re a bit early today.” Owen said. He was carrying a sack of potatoes to the sink, dumping the spuds in a metal colander and then scrubbing them under running water. Jamie grabbed a glass from the shelf, holding it under the tap and earning a glare from Owen from interrupting his vegetable cleaning. Jamie shrugged feigning innocence. “Sun’s brutal today. I’m parched.”

She retracted the glass once it was nearly full allowing Owen to resume cleaning his potatoes. Jamie took several long, glorious swigs of the cool water allowing Owen to finish up at the sink. Once he was done, she moved to wash the grime off her hands picking out the dirt buried under her nails. After they were sufficiently clean, she turned off the faucet patting her hands dry with the damp kitchen towel.

Owen placed the biscuit tin next to her on the counter, nudging it towards her.

“Afraid this is all I have to offer at the moment. Bit behind with lunch preparations. Got held up checking in on mum this morning.” Owen said with an apologetic smile. He began peeling the potatoes at the sink. There was a lost look in his eyes, like he was a thousand miles away. In all fairness, he probably was. His devotion to caring for his ailing mother was admirable, but the emotional toll took on his was evident. The whole situation seemed like an inevitable tragedy slowing coming to fruition.

While she loved Owen, Jamie wouldn’t trade places with him for anything in the world.

“Everything’ ok?” Jamie asked as she opened the biscuit tin. From the distinct aroma wafting from the container, Owen made another batch of his famous lemon shortbread. She grabbed a hearty piece from the tin.

“For the time being.” Owen said with a sad smile.

“Nothin’ a servin’ of bangers and mash can’t fix.” Jamie offered, nudging Owen playfully in the shoulder causing him to release a lighthearted laugh. His shoulder relaxed and a spark of life returned to his eyes. Jamie took pleasure in the small victory, celebrating with a bite of the scrumptious shortbread.

“Exactly.” Owen concurred. “Some say laughter is the best medicine, but I think food works much better.”

“Fancy that. I always found medicine to be the best medicine, but to each his own I suppose.”

“Well, I’m a chef and I’m going to stick with this English classic as my remedy. I hope Dani likes this as much as the rest of us do. Not sure how common this dish is in the States.”

“Ah, so you’ve met the new Marry Poppins. What’s the verdict?” Jamie asked, her interest piqued at the mention of the mysterious new au pair.

Owen pursed his lips in concentration as if carefully mulling over his answer.

“She seems tired more than anything else. But also kindhearted, capable of carrying a decent conversation, and radiates a bubbly personality that’s contagious. Gets on well with everyone here, especially with Flora and Miles. She’s basically nothing like you at all.”

He collected the peeled potatoes in a bowl moving them to the island.

Jamie rolled her eyes at him, “And you wonder why you’re not curin’ anyone with laughter.”

“Only teasing.” Owen said with a bright smile before turning his attention back to the potatoes, dicing them into cubes. “Seriously though, give Dani a chance. You might even find you have some things in common. In fact, she kept going on and on about how beautiful the landscape was. Our car ride to the main house ended early because she _insisted_ on walking the grounds to the main house. Couldn’t resist admiring your brilliant handy work I suppose.”

The prospect of having another adult around that appreciated her gardens was encouraging.

“Speakin’ of which, better get back to the needy things. Plants aren’t goin’ to water themselves.”

“Make sure you’re back in an hour for lunch.”

“See you then.”

Jamie finished munching on the remainder of the shortbread during her short walk to the green house. Once inside, she tended to all the thirsty plants. Paying special attention to the budding seedlings in the nursery. Their tiny roots poked out from their pots indicating they needed more space to grow. Jamie set them aside on a palate deciding to plant them along the back walkway later after lunch. Soon afterwards, her stomach grumbled indicating it was time to eat. Jamie took this as her cue to make her way back to the main house.

The sun reached its apex in the sky as she strolled to the main house. Jamie picked up her pace in an effort to escape the relentless rays baking into her skin for a little while. She took cover in the small sliver of shade along the back of the manor near the rear kitchen door. Jamie placed the tray of seedlings and her gardening trowel on the ground, releasing a long exhale as she wiped the sheen of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. Once again, her hands were covered with dirt and in desperate need of a good scrubbing. She marched through the door, heading straight for the sink to wash up. The usual suspects were all at the table enjoying their lunch with one new addition.

 _Her_.

The new au pair.

The moment Jamie laid eyes on her it became impossible for her to look at anything else in the room.

The first thing Jamie noticed about her was something Owen and Hannah both failed to mention.

Dani was pretty, ridiculously so.

She possessed such a high quality of beauty that if Jamie casually ran into her in a pub, she’d turn into a nervous wreck and stumble over her words the second she tried talking to her.

The au pair was turned to the side smiling at Owen as he served her a plate for lunch from over her shoulder. Her blonde hair was half tied up in a clip on the back of her head while the remaining loose curls cascaded over her shoulders. Her golden mane framed her face giving her an ethereal quality, like she was glowing.

Jamie was no stranger to physical attraction. While that was definitely a component here, what she felt somehow transcended that. Dani had a warmth to her. It radiated from her, reverberating throughout the room putting all near her, including Jamie, at ease. She possessed a gravitation quality, drawing in the those around her. Jamie felt it to. The tug of temptation beckoning Jamie to her like Icarus to the sun. But unlike that fool, Jamie fought the urge to beeline for the beautiful temptress and instead kept her features neutral, determined not to show her buzzing nerves, and forcing her feet to move towards the sink.

She managed to complete her trajectory without drawing attention to herself. Jamie washed her hands under the tepid water. Although she didn’t turn around to confirm her suspicions, Jamie felt a set of eyes watching her every movement. The curious gaze bore into her backside as if the au pair was getting familiar with her. Jamie decided to test the waters with a bit of humor.

“Who decided it was a good idea to feed these wee gremlins?” Jamie asked as he turned off the tap. She held her hands steady over the sink allowing the water droplets to collect on the tips of her fingers. Flora took the bait almost immediately, protesting in defense of herself and her brother. Jamie spun around, leaning back against the sink challenging Flora.

“Oh, is that right?”

She took the opportunity to discreetly glance at the au pair out of her peripheral vision. The young woman was watching her, seemingly captivated. Her stunning blue eyes trained on her. Jamie quickly looked away, fighting the urge to stare at Dani.

“See I’m not so sure.” Jamie forced her line of sight towards the children. She sauntered over towards them approaching the kitchen table.

“Owen, what do you think?” Jamie asked, knowing full well he couldn’t resist the opportunity to joke along with her. Owen moved next to her, carrying her own lunch plate in hand.

“Oh, it’s hard to say.” Owen jumped in without missing a beat. “You’re going to have to get water on them to be sure.”

“Hmm...” Jamie halted at the head of the table. She flicked her hands towards Miles and Flora, spraying them with water from her damp hands. “Like this?”

Her antics earned a laugh from everyone the table, including the new au pair. It was quiet, but still a laugh none the less. Jamie’s heart did a fluttery thing in her chest at the sound. Making the pretty new girl chuckle was a small victory and confirmation that she indeed had a sense of humor. Something that was very much needed in this household.

Jamie took her seat. Owen placed her dish in front of her. The wonderful smell of bangers and mash made her mouth water and stomach threaten to growl. She quickly shoveled a bit of mash into her mouth to prevent any unnecessary embarrassment. She barely had moment to savor satisfying her hunger before the au pair spoke, voicing her concerns about spotting a strange man on the parapet.

If Dani was telling the truth, which Jamie had no reason to suspect wasn’t the case, then that meant someone had the audacity to walk through her meticulous gardens in order to scale the building onto the ledge by the old wing. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first-time local ruffians had themselves a laugh trapsing through the grounds and trashing her lovely plants as they please. Jamie assured Dani as much.

The rest of the group didn’t seem as convinced. Hannah brushed the entire ordeal off as a figment of Dani’s imagination, but Jamie wasn’t so sure.

“I can take a look around the grounds after lunch.” Jamie offered. She chanced to look at the young blonde, “Perhaps you could show me exactly where you saw this fella?”

A genuine smile graced her delicate features. Jamie was powerless to look away.

“O-ok sure.” Dani answered. She blinked rapidly a few times, averting her eyes from Jamie turning her attention back to her meal. Jamie looked on just a tad longer and she could have sworn she caught the corners of Dani’s mouth turn upward into a small smile.

Throughout the remainder of lunch, the rest of the group asked Dani endless questions. She answered every single one of them, filling them in about her life before arriving to Bly. Jamie listened along or tried to. Dani’s voice was very distracting.

It was her accent that made Jamie want to smile uncontrollably. Jamie had never met many Americans limiting her exposure to what she had seen in the movies. She always found their speech odd and easily mockable, but when the au pair spoke Jamie found herself hanging on every word. All of the inflections and pronunciations she usually found amusing hit differently when she spoke. She found herself wanting to ask a million questions just to keep her talking about anything and everything.

After the group finished eating, Owen cleared the table while Hannah went upstairs with the kids to supervise them freeing up Dani to accompany Jamie. They walked outside, Jamie trailing a few pacing behind allowing the au pair to take them directly to the scene of the possible crime. The pair scoured the surrounding vegetation for signs of trespassing. Jamie stole a few glances at Dani while she worked. She seemed at ease like she belonged out here. After a few minutes passed, Jamie’s curiosity to get to know Dani better outweighed her nervous energy.

“So, Owen mentioned you took a walk through the grounds yesterday. What did you think of it?”

“This place is so _beautiful_. I know I keep saying that but it’s truly how I feel. I wish I could spend all of my time here. If I could, I don't think I'd spend one second feeling anything other than happiness.”

Jamie resonated with Dani’s sentiments. There was an undeniable element of serenity in the grounds of Bly Manor. A quiet peace present among the plants. It was comforting to know someone else felt it too.

“Can’t argue with that. Good thing you live here now.” Jamie said.

“Yeah, I still can’t believe this is where I live. It seems too good to be true.” Dani shook her head knocking a few golden curls loose. Jamie watched them flow in the passing breeze. Dani turned her head, looking directly at Jamie. Initially, she was afraid Dani would comment on the fact that she caught Jamie staring at her, but she didn’t. “Do you live here as well?”

Jamie averted her gaze, turning her attention to a nearby shrub inspecting it for damage. Concealing her face from Dani, hoping she wouldn’t notice the red tinge on her burning cheeks.

“No. While I love the plants, I do think some time apart does us good. I’ve got a tiny flat above the one and only pub in Bly. Bein’ in the thick of the town, surrounded by the local drunks makes me appreciate the beauty of this place even more.”

“Makes sense. You really do have a gift. I’ve never seen gardens as well taken care of as the ones here.”

Jamie abandoned the intact shrubbery opting to face Dani again. She scanned her piercing blue eyes looking for a sign of faux flattery but found none. Dani was being sincere with her compliment. The realization made Jamie smile.

“Thanks. Seems you have a gift too with the youngins. They seem pretty taken with you. Haven’t seen them this happy in ages.” Jamie offered causing Dani to return a genuine smile of her own.

“I’m not sure I can take all the credit for that. They are sweet kids who’ve clearly been through a lot. I-I uh, find it easy to relate to them, I guess. Most people might find their behavior strange, at least that’s what Mr. Wingrave seems to think. But kids, in my experience, cope with trauma in their own way. Sometimes they just need more time to heal. I’m hoping I can help them with that and make a difference by helping them find peace.”

It was sweet. Her eagerness to help others, but…

“How will you get peace of your own?” Jamie asked.

“That’s easy. I’ll just take a walk out here. The most peaceful place in the entire world.” Dani shifted her line of sight looking out over the sprawling greenery that surrounded them. A look of wonder plastered on her face.

Jamie dry swallowed the lump in the back of her throat. “Well then. Reckon I’ll have to work extra hard to keep this place in tip top shape for ya.”

Dani laughed. It was such a light and lovely sound.

After searching for the better part of the hour without finding anything of significance, the pair abandoned their efforts and parted ways. Dani went back inside to tend to the children while Jamie wrapped up her gardening duties. Trying to focus on digging holes for the young sprouts and placing them carefully beneath the earth, but she couldn’t. Her mind wandered back to the beautiful American. Her vision clouded in hues of blue and yellow for the remainder of the afternoon.

At the end of the day, Jamie sat in her noisy truck. The ancient engine needed a solid five minutes of shooting and sputtering to warmed up enough to drive, leaving Jamie alone with her thoughts.

Thoughts of Dani’s golden hair that looked so silky and soft. Jamie’s fingers twitched at her side, eager to feel the texture for herself. To thread, burry, and lightly tug. Her mind wandered further to Dani’s captivating cerulean irises. The au pair’s eyes were the brightest shade of blue Jamie had ever seen, like shimmering lakes she found herself wanting to swim in. The icy water of the crystal pools sent chills down her spine every time she starred deeply into them, sparkling with something… something she couldn’t quite pinpoint wading just below the surface. As if Dani was trying to communicate something unspoken with the subtle ripples in the pond.

The rationale part of her brain knew that was impossible- or rather improbable. Jamie was seeing what she wanted to see. Hoping to see her own budding feelings mirrored somewhere on Dani’s features. Feelings she should nip in the bud before they tumbled out of control.

Eventually the engine quieted down enough to indicate it was safe to drive. Jamie shifted the tin can into reverse, backing it round the building towards the main driveway. She paused in front of the manor, looking up and noticing Dani in the window of Flora’s room. Her head was tilted back as if she were laughing. Jamie could almost hear the sweet sound as if she were sitting in the seat next to her. The grumbling of the truck engine must have been loud enough to hear from the second floor. Dani glanced out the window spotting her in the driveway. She smiled waving her hand. Jamie couldn’t help but return it, waving back before turning the truck around.

If today were like any other day, Jamie would have left all thoughts of Bly Manor behind her as she drove away. But today was different. Despite physically leaving the grounds, her mind remained behind. Her thoughts consumed with the charming new au pair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! And a special shout out to the anon that sent me a request for this chapter in particular.
> 
> Hopefully this take on Jamie meeting Dani for the first time was what you were looking for.
> 
> I'm curious what you all think about Jamie's initial reaction to meeting Jamie. Do you think she felt differently?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! And a huge thank you to @my-love-my-moonflower for submitting this prompt! 
> 
> Hopefully the intro was intriguing enough to keep you interested in future chapters. This chapter was the first thing I ever wrote after watching THOBM. I truly believe that Dani visits Jamie, tucking her away in dreams and that's how they "visit" each other over the years.
> 
> Going forward, the story will follow the canon story with some fillers that will lend creativity to keep this interesting.
> 
> I would love to hear what you think and feel about this!


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